Communication & Professional Practices Flashcards
The purpose of a home inspection is to
A. provide a client with the cost of improving their property
B. provide a client with a list of the property’s problems and causes
C. provide a client with information regarding the property conditions at the time of the inspection
D. provide the client with conclusions about all of the conditions of the property at the time of the inspection
E. provide a client with an understanding of the future conditions and requirements of the home based on a visual inspection
C!~
Home inspectors shall
A. observe all components of the home listed in the Standards
B. observe all readily accessible installed systems and components listed in the Standards
C. observe all of the accessible, installed systems and components which are operating at the time of the inspection
D. dismantle installed systems and components as necessary to evaluate their condition
E. evaluate installed systems and components with respect to their effect on market value of the home
B!~
Inspections are all of the following except
A. to the Standards
B. technically exhaustive
C. non-destructive
D. non-invasive
E. intended to identify unsafe systems
B!~
Home inspection reports must include
A. recommendations to correct or monitor deficiencies
B. life expectancy of components and systems
C. causes of need for major repair
D. methods and materials for repairs
E. cost of repairs
A!~
A home inspection must include an evaluation with respect to —
A. suitability of the property for specialized use
B. compliance or noncompliance with codes
C. market value of the property
D. advisability of purchase of the property
E. the condition of the inspected components
E!~
A home inspection must include —
A. a report on all components whether observed or not
B. a report on the presence of termites, rodents or insects
C. A report stating which systems and components were not inspected and why
D. A report on cosmetic items, underground items or items not permanently installed
E. Some kind of warranty or guarantee
C!~
Inspections must include
A. design analysis
B. a written report
C. architectural evaluation
D. calculations of strength and adequacy of structural members
E. calculation of capacity and efficiency of heating and cooling systems
B!~
Home inspectors must
A. not report observations or conditions beyond the Standards
B. not exclude systems from the inspection, even if requested by the client
C. determine the effectiveness of systems designed to remove hazardous substances
D. project operating costs
E. comply with the Standards, even on a partial inspection
E!~
Home inspectors must inspect
A. humidifiers and dehumidifiers
B. central air conditioning
C. portable heaters
D. window air conditioners
E. household appliances
B!~
According to the Code of Ethics, home inspectors should offer opinions —
A. on any item they observe whether it is in the Standards or not
B. on any item requested by the client
C. only when based on experience and conviction
D. to any party that asks about the report, as long as they have an interest in the property
E. only if financially compensated for those opinions
C!~
Home inspectors, according to the ASHI® Code of Ethics, must act in good faith toward
A. everyone
B. the seller
C. the listing agent
D. the selling agent
E. the client (and other interested parties)
E!~
Reports can be released to people other than your client
A. as long as they have a legitimate interest in the property
B. if they are the owner of the property at the time of the inspection
C. if they were either the selling or listing real estate agent involved in the transaction
D. only with the approval of the client
E. to only those who have signed a third party liability waiver
D!~
Home inspectors
A. must typically pay real estate agents commissions in order to have business referred to them
B. typically receive commissions from real estate agents for providing appropriate reports
C. pay commissions to real estate agents or others only with the clients’ permission
D. receive commissions from others only with the clients’ permission
E. can’t accept or pay commissions to other parties working with the client
E!~
Home inspectors
A. must disclose an interest in a business which may affect the client
B. having disclosed any interest in a business which may affect the client, must decline to perform the inspection
C. may use the home inspection to gather referral work in other fields
D. may waive the home inspection fee if a repair contract on the home is subsequently signed between the client and home inspector
E. may collect separate fees from two interested parties, as long as at least one party is aware of it
A!~
Select the false statement
A. The home inspection profession has been around since the 1930s.
B. Home inspection started in the eastern United States.
C. Home inspection in North America is unregulated in most areas.
D. It is estimated there were 20,000 to 25,000 home inspectors in North America as of the year 2000.
E. There are roughly 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 homes sold in North America each year.
A!~
All of the following are types of inspections that home inspectors typically perform, except
A. pre-purchase home inspection
B. pre-listing home inspection
C. pre-renovation home inspection
D. mortgage inspection
E. legal dispute inspections
D!~
Which phrase does not describe a home inspection?
A. Field review of performance
B. Evaluation of physical condition
C. Visual inspection of readily accessible, installed components
D. Appraisal inspection
E. Sampling type inspection
D!~
The home inspector’s ultimate obligation is to
A. the buyer
B. the seller
C. the selling agent, if they are a buyer broker
D. the listing agent
E. the home itself
E!~
All of the following phrases apply to home inspection except
A. neutral and unbiased
B. paid, whether or not transaction completed
C. a simple practice and business
D. a performance
E. poorly understood profession
C!~
The typical length of time for an inspection of a standard home is
A. one and a half hours
B. two and a half hours
C. three and a half hours
D. four and a half hours
E. five and a half hours
B!~
All of the following are advantages to having clients attend inspections, except
A. better communication
B. can charge a premium for allowing clients to attend
C. showing is better than telling
D. lowered liability
E. opportunity to adjust expectations
B!~
The characteristics of a home inspector include all of the following except
A. specialist
B. technical wizard
C. great communicator
D. actor or performer
E. diplomat
A!~
It is important that a home inspector’s shoes
A. are aesthetically compatible with his or her clothing
B. have steel toes
C. have steel soles
D. have rubber soles
E. are slip-on so they can be easily removed when going into a home
D!~
All of the following are reasons to write reports, except —
A. the Standards require it
B. it avoids having to make good verbal presentations
C. they help your client review what you have said
D. liability control
E. marketing tool
B#~
The advantages of on site reports include all of the following, except —
A. more customized presentation
B. faster reporting
C. you can check what you may have missed while still in the house
D. you are more likely to get paid on site
E. there is no time spent proofreading
reports or remembering houses
A#~
The most overused recommended action by home inspectors is —
A. telling clients to provide something that is missing
B. telling people to repair or replace something that is worn out
C. recommending further evaluation
D. recommending that things be improved without giving specifications
E. recommending monitoring of suspect systems
C#~
All of the following are limitation statements, except —
A. access was not gained to the roof
B. the attic was inspected from the access hatch
C. we did not enter the room with the sick child at the request of the homeowner
D. the swimming pool is beyond the scope of this inspection
E. the cover on the electrical panel was not removed due to inadequate access
D#~
All of the following are priority statements, except —
A. the electrical cleanup work should be done immediately
B. prompt repairs to the gutters and downspouts will help prevent wet basement problems
C. central air conditioning is to be added within the next three years
D. the fireplace chimney should be swept before using the fireplace
E. the sagging beams should be replaced within the next 12 months
C#~
Which of the following is required by the ASHI® Standards?
A. Scope
B. Contract
C. Description
D. Cause
E. Implications
C#
Which of the following is required by the ASHI® Standards?
A. Conditions
B. Limitations
C. Life expectancy
D. Priorities
E. Ballpark costs
A#
Which of the following types of statements is required by the common standards?
A. The exterior cladding is brick.
B. The bricks may injure people if they fall.
C. The brick problems are the result of foundation settlement.
D. Caulking and weatherstripping will improve house comfort.
E. Brick repairs will cost $500 — $1,000.
A#~
You should avoid using all of the following words or phrases, except
A. satisfactory
B. good condition
C. operable
D. sound
E. no deficiencies noted
E#~
Which of the following statement about home inspectors’ liability is true?
A. As long as you provide written reports, you have no liability.
B. You only have liability if you do sloppy inspections.
C. Your liability is greater if your buyers’ expectations are not realistic.
D. Home improvement contractors play no part in home inspector liability.
E. The last-one-in syndrome helps to reduce liability.
C#~
All of the following are examples of prevention strategies for limiting liability, except —
A. perform a competent inspection
B. ensure clients’ expectations are realistic
C. define the scope of work in your report
D. describe limitations specific to the home in your report
E. inspect in greater depth on areas where clients have concerns
E#~
All of the following are appropriate response strategies limiting home inspectors’ liability, except —
A. respond to complaints as quickly as possible
B. never admit that there is a problem with the home
C. don’t accept as fact anything you are told
D. follow up as quickly as possible
E. don’t argue with the client over the phone on the initial call
B#~
Quick walk-through inspections —
A. don’t require reports
B. don’t require a seller introduction
C. increase liability
D. don’t require clients to attend
E. usually meet the requirements of the Standards
C#~
All of the following are components of a home inspection EXCEPT
A. preinspection routine.
B. introductory discussion.
C. inspection itself.
D. review of house plans.
D!~
An important advantage in arriving early at an inspection is that
A. you are more likely to find a parking spot close to the home.
B. you can evaluate the neighborhood topography and homes.
C. your client can’t accuse you of not doing a complete job because you arrived late.
D. you’ll be able to finish up earlier and get to your next inspection or get home earlier.
B!~
The seller introduction
A. is typically done after the introductory discussion with the client.
B. should be done by the listing agent.
C. should be done by the selling agent.
D. is typically done before anyone else arrives.
D!~
The introductory discussion with the client
A. should never be done in front of the listing or selling agents.
B. should never be done in front of the seller.
C. should include setting out your goals for the inspection.
D. should never include questions to the client because this will put them on the spot.
C~
If asked questions about the home that are outside your scope you should
A. give clients a vague answer, because you don’t want to damage your credibility.
B. indicate that you haven’t gotten to that part of the inspection yet and, in most cases, the client will forget to ask the question a second time.
C. suggest where the client may get an answer to that question.
D. explain to the client that you are making a presentation, not answering questions.
C!~
The inspection
A. should include signing of the contract at the end.
B. should save all of the technical explanation for the end of the inspection.
C. may include two tours of certain parts of the building.
D. should never include a discussion of implications, because of increased liability.
C!~
The inspection should
A. be done without the client present, if possible.
B. start with the bad news about the house, in order to get it out of the way.
C. focus on the actions that people must take.
D. include a detailed description of deteriorated or inoperative systems, and how they got that way.
C!~
The home inspection
A. includes descriptions and recommendations.
B. should never actually show the client the problem, for fear of scaring him or her off.
C. should only be done if the client accompanies you through the entire inspection, except for the roof and attic.
D. should never compare the subject home against other properties for fear of confusing the client.
A!~
The inspection
A. should rely on humor, at least to some extent.
B. should include watching and evaluating clients’ reactions to your comments.
C. should be done as quickly as possible.
D. should be done with the client in the lead asking questions.
E. should include copious note-taking
B!~
The macro/micro approach refers to
A. learning to inspect big houses as well as small.
B. using a visual technique and a testing technique.
C. looking at the house from a distance, passively and up close, using a checklist approach.
D. focusing on big problems and ignoring small ones.
C!~
Common home inspector mistakes include all of the following EXCEPT
A. going back and checking things you may have overlooked.
B. leaving the heat turned up.
C. leaving appliances turned on.
D. leaving clothes on a bed.
A!~
If you see something in a house you don’t recognize and understand
A. don’t mention it in your discussion or written report.
B. explain to the client it’s beyond your scope.
C. advise the client you don’t know, but will try to find out.
D. ask the listing or selling agent what it is.
C!~
If there is an argument about whether or not the inspection should proceed
A. explain the benefits of a home inspection to all parties.
B. offer to reduce your fee.
C. offer to perform the inspection without the client.
D. stay out of the discussion.
D!~
The closing discussion should include
A. a detailed description of every problem in the home.
B. an opportunity for clients to ask questions.
C. cost estimates.
D. a recommendation to buy, or not buy, the home.
B!~
The closing discussion should
A. focus on the area that you know the most about.
B. reiterate the limitations of the inspection.
C. never take place inside the home.
D. introduce the contract.
B!~
A listing agent is
A. a person who shows prospective buyers a number of homes.
B. an agent who can only work through a Multiple Listing Service.
C. typically hired by the seller.
D. typically hired by the buyer.
C!~
The selling agent is the person who
A. receives the entire commission.
B. typically holds the open house.
C. owns the real estate company.
D. draws up the offer for the buyer.
D!~
A conditional offer
A. means that a price has been agreed on, as long as one or more conditions are satisfied.
B. is an initial proposal that is conditional upon the seller signing it.
C. is a sign back offer which will only become valid if the prospective buyer signs it.
D. is illegal in some areas.
A!~
An inspection report may include ______________.
A. additional comments beyond identified material defects
B. recommendations
C. images
D. all of these
D
All of the following should be components of a home inspection, except?
a. Recommendations
b. The reason why certain things were not inspected
c. A structural analysis of the framing
d. Deficiency implications
C
Which of the following statements is true?
a. A home inspector is required to climb on a roof
b. A home inspector is not required to report causes of conditions
c. A home inspector is required to give a warranty or guarantee
d. A home inspector is required to turn on and operate systems that are shut down
A
As an inspector, you have an obligation to all the following people, except?
a. The buyer
b. Yourself
c. The listing agent
d. Your friend who is a general contractor
D
What is one of the top reasons that you would like to have your client be present during the inspection?
a. To be able to recommend potential work for your friend who is an electrician
b. To reduce liability
c. So you try to upsell a separate inspection, such as a swimming pool inspection
d. So you don’t have to write a report later on, you can give him your checklist
B
A home inspection should be consisted of how many parts?
a. 1: The inspection itself
b. 2: Pre inspection routine and then the inspection itself
c. 3: Inspection and the closing remarks
d. 4: Pre inspection routine, opening remarks, inspection itself, and the closing remarks
D
“The uneven stairs are a trip hazard.” In the context of a report this would be called
a. Description
b. Cause
c. Implication
d. Recommended action
C#~
The Standards require:
a. Conditions and causes
b. Technically exhaustive inspections and descriptions
c. Descriptions and causes
d. Descriptions and conditions
D
Which of the following best describes the statement shown below that appears in a typical home inspection report? “The water heater is in good condition for its age.”
a. Conclusion
b. Recommendation
c. Description
d. Disclaimer
A
One who has contracted to be responsible for another or one who assumes responsibilities or debts in the event of default is known as the:
a. Privity
b. Home inspector
c. Client
d. Surety
D
As a home inspector, you are required to observe and/or readily accessible components of each system. Which of the following is not considered to be a readily accessible component of a room?
a. A receptacle in a closet
b. The doorknob on the closet door
c. A small window
d. Nails or screws in the floor
D
As an inspector, when you observe a component, you are making this type of examination:
a. Opinion
b. Recommendation
c. Visual
d. Analyzing
C
If your standard reporting form does not include a section for a defect that you observe, you should:
a. Don’t include it on the report
b. Report the defect verbally and make a note of it on the report
c. Only include it if your client points it out
d. Report the defect verbally but do not have to write it down
B
A home inspection is supposed to be:
a. Visual inspection only
b. Technically accurate with field measurements
c. Visual and non-invasive
d. Made public knowledge
C
What is NOT required to establish an agreement between a home inspector and a client?
a. negotiation
b. acceptance
c. consideration
d. offer
A
An inspection agreement presented to the client after the inspection may be declared invalid. What is the MOST likely reason for declaring such agreements invalid?
a. Inspection agreements must be presented before the inspection begins
b. There was no opportunity to negotiate the agreement
c. There was no exchange of consideration
d. The home inspector breached a duty to present the agreement in a timely manner
B
“An investigation that involves dismantling, extensive use of measurements, instruments, testing, calculations or other means” could best be described within the Standards as
a. an optional extra-fee inspection
b. technically exhaustive
c. over and above anything necessary
d. a thorough home inspection
e. standard inspection procedure
B~
According to the term ‘inspect’ in the Standards, it would be inappropriate to1
a. use a system’s normal operating controls
b. open a sealed attic access hatch
c. test the full range of a ceiling fan
d. fill up and operate a Jacuzzi tub
e. enter a crawl space that has a dirt floor
B~